Upright support

ABSTRACT

An upright support comprising three interlocking leg members each having a leg section and a cup forming flange at a connecting end thereof. The cup forming flange defines a front face and opposed arms projecting angularly forward and one on each side of the leg section. Interlocking means are further provided on the free end of the cup forming arms and adapted to interlock with the interlocking means on a cup forming arm of an adjacent leg member to form a hollow central cup between the front face of the cup forming flange of the three interlocking leg members.

1451 Feb.4, 1975 UPRIGHT SUPPORT [75] Inventors: Laurence StephenFinkelstein;

Gabor Gellert, both of Montreal, Quebec, Canada [73] Assignees: CantrecoLtd., Montreal,Quebec,

Canada [22] Filed: Feb. 1, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 328,689

[52] U.S. Cl 248/188.7, 248/48, 248/158, 248/165 [51] Int. Cl. A47c 7/00[58] Field of Search 248/158, 159, 165, 188.7, 248/48 [56] ReferencesCited UNITED STATES PATENTS 140,054 6/1873 Lomas 248/l88.7 582,9735/1897 Beaman 248/158 668,522 2/1901 Jolly 248/158 X r-D 4 Z? 680,7718/1901 Fuller 248/158 1,263,160 4/1918 Travers..... 248/188.7 1,394,07010/1921 Diffany 248/158 3,719,340 3/1973 Norton 248M887 X PrimaryExaminer-Roy D. Frazier Assistant Examiner-Robert W. Gibson, Jr.

[57] ABSTRACT An upright support comprising three interlocking legmembers each having a leg section and a cup forming flange at aconnecting end thereof. The cup forming flange defines a front face andopposed arms projecting angularly forward and one on each side of theleg section. Interlocking means are further provided on the free end ofthe cup forming arms and adapted to interlock with the interlockingmeans on a cup forming arm of an adjacent leg member to form a hollowcentral cup between the front face of the cup forming flange of thethree interlocking leg members.

7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures /7 /i J /i a M111 1. 1111; 111. 111.11111111111" 111111111 111 11 1-11111111 1111 1 41111 M1111 H m 1.11111111. 1112 PATENTED B SHEET 10F 2 FIG.

PATENTED FEB SHEET 2 OF 2 UPRIGHT SUPPORT BACKGROUND OF INVENTION a.Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an uprightsupport and more particularly to an upright support made of releasablysecurable parts.

b. Description of Prior Art Heretofore, various forms of construction ofupright supports have been provided. Some of these are constructed ofmetal parts hinged together for folding the support into a storageposition. These types of structures are difficult to repair when partsthereof are broken, are subject to rust which further damages theoperating parts of the article and its aesthetic appearance.

Interlocking upright supports have also been provided where a pluralityof leg members interlock in the outer wall of a central cup member. Thepresent invention relates to an improved upright support of this typeparticularly, but not exclusively, adapted to support the central poleof an artificial Christmas tree.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION It is therefore a feature of the present inventionto provide an improved interlocking upright support which has very fewinterlocking parts and which is economical to manufacture.

According to this feature, from a broad aspect, the present inventionrelates to an upright support comprising three interlocking leg memberseach having a leg section and a cup forming flange at a connecting endthereof. The cup forming flange defines a front face and opposed armsprojecting angularly forward and one on each side of the leg section.Interlocking means are further provided on the free end of the cupforming arms and adapted to interlock with the interlocking means on acup forming arm of an adjacent leg member to form a hollow central cupbetween the front face of the cup forming flange of the threeinterlocking leg members.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS A preferred embodiment of the presentinvention will now be described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. I is an isometric view of the upright support;

FIG. 2 is a section view along section lines II-Il of FIG. 3 showing aninterlocking leg section;

FIG. 3 is a fragmented plan view, partly in phantom lines, illustratingthe interlocking leg sections;

FIG. 4 is a section view along section lines IV-IV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the interlocked cup forming flanges; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a cup forming flange.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIG. 1 of thedrawings, there is shown, generally at 10, the upright support of thepresent invention, and comprising essentially of three interlocking legmembers 11 interlocked at a common end to form a hollow central cup 12.In this interlocked position, the leg members 11 extend radially fromthe central cup 12 and are equidistantly spaced apart.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, there is shown the detail constructionof the leg members 11. Each leg member herein shown is molded of aplastic material and comprises a hollow elongated leg section 13 havingan integrally molded end support 14 at one end thereof and an integrallymolded cup forming flange 15 at the opposite end thereof herein referredas the interlocking end. The leg section 13 is of substantiallyretangular cross-section, and angulated upwardly from the support end tothe interlocking end. Also, as herein shown, the heightof the side walls17 and the width of the top wall 18 of each leg section 13 tapers fromthe cup forming flange 15 to the end support 14. One or more verticalreinforcing ribs 16 are also formed in the hollow leg section 13 toreinforce the side walls 17.

As can be seen in FIG. 3, the integrally molded cup forming flange 15,of each leg section 11, comprises two opposed, arcuately extending,interconnecting arms 19 having vertical flat end faces 20 on which thereis provided interlocking means in the form of a longitudinal verticaltongue 21 on one arm 19 and a longitudinal vertical groove 22 on theother arm 19. The planar axis of each flat face 20 is disposed at anangle of from the longitudinal central axis of the leg section 13whereby the tongues and grooves, 21 and 22, of three leg members 11interlock to form the hollow central cup 12 between the cup formingflanges 15.

Referring to FIGS. 2 to 6, it can be seen that each flange 15 furtherdefines a concave arcuate end wall 23 having a bottom wall section 24extending from the lower edge thereof. The end wall 23 has a slighttaper extending upwardly rearward from the central vertical axis 26 ofthe central cup 12. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the bottom wall section24 of each leg member 11 is cut angularly in line with the end faces 20of the arms 19 to abut with the bottom wall section 24 of adjacent legmembers 11 to form a central cup bottom wall having a hole 25 at thecenter thereof.

The slight taper in the end wall 23 is selected to provide, in relationwith the end walls 23 of the interconnected leg members 11, a hollowcentral cup 12 which will receive the end of a particular pole 30 (shownin phantom lines on FIG. 4) which will frictionally engage the sidewalls 23 and come to rest slightly above the bottom wall 24. Thus,theadvantage of the taper is that it will frictionally engage poles ofdiameter varying within predetermined tolerances or of which the outerend is-slightly worn by wear and tear. As the surface end of the polewears, the pole will penetrate deeper into the cup 12 until the end 31of the pole 30 rests on the upper surface of the bottom wall. Thepurpose of the hole 25 is to prevent pressure build up between the end31 of the pole and the bottom wall 24 when the pole is inserted in thecup 12.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 3, 5 and 6 there is moreclearly illustrated the interlocking means formed integrally with theflat faces 20 of each arm 19 of the cup forming flange 15. The tongue 21extends above the face 20 and defines a flat end wall 32, parallel tothe face 20, and inwardly sloping side walls 33. The groove 22 is formedwithin the face 20 and defines a flat bottom wall 34 and tapering sidewalls 35 adapted to slideably receive the tongue 21 of an adjacent legsection. The bottom edge 36 of the tongue 21 is aligned with the uppersurface of the bottom wall 24 whereby it can rest on a stop post 37which may be molded integrally in the lower edge of the groove of twoleg sections to prevent the tongue 21 from sliding through the groove 22of its interconnected leg member and to prevent vertical misalignment.However, one of the three interconnected leg members does not have sucha stop post to permit assembly of the upright support. Other means ofpreventing vertical misalignment may be provided by providing a tightfit between the tongue and groove. Also, a nail or screw (not shown) maybe inserted in the end 31 of the pole 30 through the hole engaging theleg members in friction with the pole and in alginment with each other.Further, to facilitate assembly of the upright support, markings (notshown) may be provided on the bottom face of the bottom wall sections 24along the edges thereof to match with the markings on adjacent edges ofthe bottom wall sections of adjacent interlocking leg members 11.

It can be seen that the upright support of the present invention can bemanufactured very economically as there is one basic part, theinterlocking leg member 11, and all the parts can be manufactured from asingle mold. If the stop post 37 is required a plug may be removed fromthe bottom edge of the mold section forming the groove 22.

It is also within the ambit of the present invention to provide anupright support where more than three leg members may be interlocked.Further, if the leg end supports extend laterally the upright supportcould be formed of two leg members having a semi-circular cup formingflange for interlocking with another leg member, as described above.

We claim:

1. An upright support comprising three interlocking leg members eachhaving a leg section and a cup forming flange at a connecting endthereof, said cup forming flange defining a front face and opposed armsprojecting angularly forward and one on each side of said leg section,each of said arms having a substantially flat vertical end face, anelongated vertical tongue molded along one of said end faces of one ofsaid arms of said opposed arms, an elongated vertical groove formed inthe end face of the other of said arms, said tongue and groove eachhaving a transverse cross-section of a configuration to permit saidtongue to be slideably received and retained in a groove of an adjacentleg member to interlock therewith, and a stop post in the lower portionof only two of said grooves to limit the sliding movement of a tonguetherein to provide vertical alignment of said three leg members, saidthree leg members when interlocked together forming a hollow centralcircular cup between the front face of each cup forming flange.

2. An upright support as claimed in claim 1 wherein said tongue has aflat end wall and inwardly sloping side walls, said groove having a flatbottom wall and tapering side walls to slideably receive a tongue of anadjacent leg member to interlock thereto.

3. An upright support as claimed in claim 1 wherein there is furtherprovided a cup bottom wall section extending substantially perpendicularto said front face of said cup forming flange.

4. An upright support as claimed in claim 3 wherein said bottom wallsection of each of said three leg members defines a hole therebetweenwhen said leg members are interlocked.

5. An upright support as claimed in claim 1 wherein said hollow centralcircular cup has a bottom wall and a side wall formed by said concavesurfaces, said side wall tapering angularly outwards from said bottomwall to frictionally retain the end of a circular pole in a majorportion thereof.

6. An upright support as claimed in claim 1 wherein said leg sectiondefines a support end at the end opposite said connecting end, said legsection being angulated upwardly from said support end to saidconnecting end to support said hollow central cup above ground when saidthree leg members are interconnected.

7. An upright support as claimed in claim 1 wherein said front face ofsaid cup forming flange slopes angularly upwards away from the verticalaxis and wherein the end face of each of said arms extends substantiallyparallel to said vertical axis.

1. An upright support comprising three interlocking leg members eachhaving a leg section and a cup forming flange at a connecting endthereof, said cup forming flange defining a front face and opposed armsprojecting angularly forward and one on each side of said leg section,each of said arms having a substantially flat vertical end face, anelongated vertical tongue molded along one of said end faces of one ofsaid arms of said opposed arms, an elongated vertical groove formed inthe end face of the other of said arms, said tongue and groove eachhaving a transverse cross-section of a configuration to permit saidtongue to be slideably received and retained in a groove of an adjacentleg member to interlock therewith, and a stop post in the lower portionof only two of said grooves to limit the sliding movement of a tonguetherein to provide vertical alignment of said three leg members, saidthree leg members when interlocked together forming a hollow centralcircular cup between the front face of each cup forming flange.
 2. Anupright support as claimed in claim 1 wherein said tongue has a flat endwall and inwardly sloping side walls, said groove having a flat bottomwall and tapering side walls to slideably receive a tongue of anadjacent leg member to interlock thereto.
 3. An upright support asclaimed in claim 1 wherein there is further provided a cup bottom wallsection extending substantially perpendicular to said front face of saidcup forming flange.
 4. An upright support as claimed in claim 3 whereinsaid bottom wall section of each of said three leg members defines ahole therebetween when said leg members are interlocked.
 5. An uprightsupport as claimed in claim 1 wherein said hollow central circular cuphas a bottom wall and a side wall formed by said concave surfaces, saidside wall tapering angularly outwards from said bottom wall tofrictionally retain the end of a circular pole in a major portionthereof.
 6. An upright support as claimed in claim 1 wherein said legsection defines a support end at the end opposite said connecting end,said leg section being angulated upwardly from said support end to saidconnecting end to support said hollow central cup above ground when saidthree leg members are interconnected.
 7. An upright support as claimedin claim 1 wherein said front face of said cup forming flange slopesangularly upwards away from the vertical axis and wherein the end faceof each of said arms extends substantially parallel to said verticalaxis.